Strategic Pairs

[sheena]

We ran Strategic Pairs Excellent on the weekend & the second last obstacle was the dog walk. I have had a look at the rules & can't find what I am looking for. If the active dog runs the dog walk & the inactive dog follows after it (two dogs on at the same time), is this a penalty. Looking at the video, I can't see why the judge keeps telling us to change several times with the DW as contacts were being made. The only thing I can think of is maybe both dogs might have been on it at the same time...the video only shows part of the dog walk. We ran out of time in the end, but we got a good laugh especially as both dogs are almost identical. :laugh:

[Chezy]

you would have been best asking the judge, as interpretation of rules differ from judge to judge, not having been there and seen your run I can't say , I have seen 2 dogs finish together and get a Q , but also 2 dogs on the seesaw together get a DQ as it was dangerous and the dogs were not under control . it could be that one had not got off the equip before the other got on that it was not allowed .

Pairs is much fun though , I do like to do it :D

Edited May 21, 2012 by Chezy & Chopper

[DeltaCharlie]

I watched the video last night and from memory you actually needed to change at the jump before, not the DW. Can't remember which dog it was but somebody (Im thinking Bindi) knocked the bar then Jazza did the dog walk but actually needed to go and fix the bar. Instead, on his way back he ran through the uprights the wrong way (which means a change again) but Bindi was already on the dog walk. So you needed to go back and fix the bar that was knocked. All that swapping that the judge was insisting on was for the obstacle before, not the actual contact :D

Technically you should have been disqualified for having both dogs on the contact at the same time though. I have seen judges DQ pairs for being in the tunnel at the same time and Chopper and Charlie were lucky in one run to not be DQed for taking the last jump together.

[canine fun sports]

We ran Strategic Pairs Excellent on the weekend & the second last obstacle was the dog walk. I have had a look at the rules & can't find what I am looking for. If the active dog runs the dog walk & the inactive dog follows after it (two dogs on at the same time), is this a penalty. Looking at the video, I can't see why the judge keeps telling us to change several times with the DW as contacts were being made. The only thing I can think of is maybe both dogs might have been on it at the same time...the video only shows part of the dog walk. We ran out of time in the end, but we got a good laugh especially as both dogs are almost identical. :laugh:

I did not see the run, nor did I see the video, but I suspect that Delta Charlie's explanation is correct. Perhpas on the video, you can listen to hear if the judge is actually telling you what he is wanting to see happen (Jodie is usually pretty good at that!) but with the excitement you did not hear him.

IF you were to be penalised for having 2 dogs on the dog walk at the same time, it could only be if the judge considered it to be unsafe behaviour, in which case it would be a disqualification, and the judge would not allow you to repeat the unsafe behaviour. I would not DQ for having 2 dogs on the dog walk unless it looked like the second dog was being allowed to try to overtake the first dog. It the handler of the second dog was obviously keeping the dog's speed under control so there was no collision, then I would not DQ.

2 dogs near a see-saw in pairs is frightening, and as a judge I have been known to intervene and block the path of one of the dogs. I have seen dogs nearly receive a broken jaw from a tipping see-saw. In fact, after one such near miss, I have decided that at the next rule change, I will suggest that the see-saw be removed from the equipment list in pairs. It can be bloody dangerous.

Cheers,

Edited May 21, 2012 by canine fun sports

[sheena]

Thanks everyone for your input. I think we were laughing so much that honestly none of us knew what was going on. What a shame it happened all because Bindi knocked that one bar. It was the ONLY bar she knocked the whole weekend out of 8 runs. I was interested to know if there were rules regarding two dogs on the same contact obstacle, & I can see that some situations it could be deemed dangerous. So now I am without a partner for the SPDX for the upcoming Grafton Trial

[DeltaCharlie]

As Le said it all comes down to the judges discretion. Many judges would have DQed you guys because Adam pulled Jazza off the DW when he was at the top of the upramp about to go across (unsafe performance). Its best to clarify with each judge during the briefing just what they will and won't allow if you are unsure. I am always bugging judges beforehand in regards to pairs as there is a bit of grey area in the rules and I like to be sure before I run. Most common question for me is when they consider a dog to have completed a contact (some will allow the next dog to run once the first dog is in the yellow area, others like them to be completely on the ground before the swap can happen).

[sheena]

Thanks DC. For those who are interested or just feel like a laugh...here is the video link

Bindi & I are the first dog. Another place I got confused was, when Jazza knocked his first (& only jump) & I went back to fix it, he went over to start my bit, instead of just staying put to do the weaves. Looking back on the video, Bindi did a pretty good job except for knocking that last jump. What it all boils down to is that Adam & I were not watching each other.